


a beautiful unfolding (of a love that will never be)

by theartofbeinganerd



Series: Marauder!Fitz and Servant!Jemma 'verse [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, Apocalyptic Future AU, But only a bit, F/M, GOD THEY'RE PINING, Happy Ending, In Case Anyone's Worried, Love at First Sight, Marauder!Fitz, Mutual Pining, Or Secretly Pining I Guess, Servant!Jemma, This is a Whole New Take on Secretly Dating, honestly, no time travel, these two dumbs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-04 18:40:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14599272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theartofbeinganerd/pseuds/theartofbeinganerd
Summary: In a future where the planet has long since been destroyed, Jemma is the unwilling servant of Kasius, and Fitz is the unwilling leader of a group of marauders passed down to him by his father. When they cross paths during Kasius's latest Inhuman bidding war, though, it sets them on a course that will either lead them both to the happy ending neither could ever dare to dream for, or what could only be certain death.Now, the only question remaining: is their blossoming love worth the risk?A prompted Marauder!Fitz and Servant!Jemma AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by @bellamybriller on tumblr: "a fic where fitz is a marauder and he falls in love with slave!jemma in the apocalyptic future pls i love the concept". 
> 
> Now, before anyone asks, YES there will be a part two - I wanted to do it all in one, but it’s after two am, this is already ~5000 words, and I Am Tired. So, the second part should be posted on the 16th, if all goes according to my schedule (keep an eye out, there’s going to be A Lot of content coming from me this upcoming week).
> 
> Title is taken from Anywhere But Here by SafetySuit

“ _Jemma_.”

Automatically, Jemma glanced up from the bowl of fruit that she’d been straightening at the sound of Kasius’s voice in her ear, turning to show that she’d heard and was awaiting instruction.

“ _I have a job for you_ ,” he informed her, that smug smirk that was such a staple of her (unfortunate) master’s expression curving his blue lips.

Jemma nodded in understanding, bending low in a bow to him before following him down a series of halls on his floor of the Lighthouse, the once underground bunker that now contained the last remnants of the human race, after the earth had been destroyed.

It had all happened long before Jemma had been born, of course, and life on the Lighthouse was all that she’d ever known – though she had heard plenty of whispers about what the world had been like back before it’d been destroyed. Truthfully, though, she wasn’t sure that she believed all of it – it just seemed too perfect to have ever been real, in her opinion.

Things on the Lighthouse hadn’t always been _horrible_ , however, despite the bleak life its habitants led; Jemma’s parents had always made sure to try and shield her from some of the more horrible realities of their lives. Her mother had even taught Jemma everything that she knew about healing people, about what she knew from her mother of science and math. Along with Jemma’s natural curiosity and ability to soak up new things effortlessly, it had made her an impressive force among the other children her age.

Unfortunately, it had also gotten her noticed by Kasius, not long after Jemma had come of age and gone through the mist unsuccessfully. Without thinking, she’d saved the life of one of his servants, and she’d seen the tears in her mother’s eyes, and the fear that her father had been trying to hide in his when she’d been subsequently collected and brought up to his floor, and almost immediately into his employ.

“ _Ah, here_ ,” Kasius said suddenly, pausing in front of a closed door to one of the guest quarters, holding out his hand in invitation for Jemma to go on inside.

Before she even opened the door, though, Jemma knew what she was walking into. It was about that time again, and the latest children to come of age had to have gone through the mist just recently. She was quite sure that there was another new Inhuman waiting for her inside, waiting for her to talk them through their new powers so that Kasius could eventually sell them to the highest bidder.

She thought that this business of his was absolutely filthy, selling people as though they were _objects_ , but she had had to swallow down her disgust and keep her thoughts to herself for so long now, she had become all-but numb to it by then.

Though, that didn’t stop her from considering every single time that Kasius had her talk a fresh Inhuman through developing their powers, using her wealth of compassion against her, simply _not_ helping them so that he would be left without a product to offer to his wealthy associates.

But, every time, without fail, she would walk into that room and all she would see was a scared kid that didn’t understand what was happening to them, and she forgot all about screwing Kasius over.

So, Jemma resigned herself to it once more, pushing the door open and stepping into the room, where she quickly spotted a young girl sitting on the edge of the bed. Her back was to her, and she appeared to be hunched over, staring down at her hands in her lap.

The familiar feeling of her hearing being returned to her rushed through Jemma, moments before she heard the sound of the door closing behind her. She cleared her throat, once more adjusting to speaking again after going weeks at a time without being able to, and greeted, “Hello.”

The girl twisted around on the bed, finally turning to face her, and her lips turned down in a frown. “Who are you?” she questioned, an almost accusatory tone to her voice.

Jemma arched her eyebrows, a little taken aback by the hostility where she was so used to panic and confusion. “I’m Jemma; I’m here to help you adjust to your new powers.”

She snorted in something almost like disbelief, folding her arms over her chest. “Oh yeah? Why, so I can work for the _Kree_? Thanks, but I think I’ll pass.”

Taking a brief moment to reevaluate the situation and figure out a new way to approach this girl, Jemma took a couple of steps closer, telling the girl, “And you think that _I_ want to be working for them?”

The girl furrowed her brow, studying her intently for a moment. Then, she said slowly, “Maybe not.”

“What can you do?” Jemma prompted gently, taking another half-step closer so that she could perch on the opposite edge of the bed.

Clearly considering for a moment, the girl didn’t answer at first. But, then she pressed her lips together and squeezed her eyes shut, and after a moment, a vase on a table nearby shattered, startling Jemma. The girl cracked one eye open, and muttered under her breath, “ _Damn_ , I was aiming for the lamp.”

Wordlessly, Jemma rose from the bed, going over to inspect the vase that was now in pieces. She carefully picked up one shard, eyeing it for a moment, before turning back to the girl. “You certainly have an impressive power, one that with training, could be…quite remarkable.”

“Thanks.” The girl pursed her lips, then added in a rush, “And my name’s Daisy, by the way.”

-

“I’m still not sure this is worth it,” Fitz told Enoch, keeping his voice low so as not to be overheard by anyone else meandering through the dining hall that they had just been led into.

“Something must have caught your attention,” Enoch replied matter-of-factly, his tone matching Fitz’s, “you have declined every other invitation Kasius has sent you.”

Fitz didn’t bother to answer that at first, simply folding his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall behind him. It was true – he’d never bothered to attend any of the Inhuman biddings at what was left of the planet Earth. He knew of the Kasius family by reputation, of course, and knew that Inhumans were quite popular among armies these days, but still, he’d never felt the need for one before.

But, when he’d heard word of this most recent one from a few of his contacts, he’d gotten the idea that his crew could perhaps use some powered help on their side. After all, more and more people were coming into possession of their own, so he’d decided that it was at last time to see what the fuss was all about.

Finally, he replied sharply, “Nothing caught my attention, alright? Just thought it was time to see what these Inhumans are all about.”

Then, Enoch (predictably) went into a detailed description of what Inhumans were, and how they were created. Not interested in a history lesson, though, Fitz tuned him out, instead sweeping his gaze across the dining hall, getting a feel of who else was there to bid and what he might have to do to get the upper hand over them if it came to that.

There was no one too terribly intimidating, and Fitz was quite sure that he could outmaneuver any of them if he had to, which was comforting, and actually rather disappointing. He’d often heard, after all, that the most powerful in the galaxy were in attendance at these biddings, and were the ones coming into possession of Inhuman fighters.

Just as he was about to tune back in and tell Enoch that he got it, he happened to notice another one of Kasius’s blue-clad and gold-painted servants just stepping into the hall with a tray of drinks in hand. At the arrival of someone new, as he always did, he looked over to size them up.

From his first glance of her face, Fitz felt his breath catching in his throat, as though he’d received a particularly sharp punch to gut.

Automatically, he reached out to steady himself on the closest solid object, which happened to be Enoch. “Who – who…” he managed to get out, his voice barely above a hoarse whisper.

Enoch followed his line of vision, and answered, “Ah, that is Jemma Simmons. She is one of Kasius’s loyal servants. Would you like me to broker an introduction?”

“I…” His mouth suddenly feeling too dry, Fitz licked his lips, unconsciously clenching a hand in Enoch’s jacket as he watched Jemma gracefully cross the floor to place the tray down on a table in front of a window. She then reached up to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and he felt weak in the knees, imagining brushing the backs of his own fingers over her cheek as he tucked her hair back into place. “She’s…”

But, there simply were no words, and he just _knew_ that he needed to speak to this woman, to get closer to her, to bask in her presence if only for a handful of moments.

Hastily, Fitz darted a glance around, finding Kasius all the way on the other side of the room, speaking in low voices with his right hand woman, Sinara. Feeling bolstered by his distance, he released Enoch’s jacket and ignored his warning, instead slowly approaching Jemma on still slightly weak legs.

He paused a few steps away from her, lightly clearing his throat, then moved to stand behind her, greeting quietly, “Hello.”

Nothing.

Fitz waited a few long, tense moments, but there was no response from her. She didn’t speak, she didn’t even turn to face him; she simply went about her work as though she hadn’t heard him.

Frowning, he inhaled a steadying breath, then tried again, just a bit louder, “Hello?”

Once more, there was absolutely nothing by way of a response from her – she hadn’t even shown that she’d heard him, or sensed his presence behind her.

Just as he was reaching out to lightly touch her arm to try and gain her attention, he heard from behind _him_ , “Is there something that I can help you with?”

-

At the sudden and expected pressure of fingertips on her arm, Jemma whirled around, her eyes growing wide when she caught sight of Kasius and a man that she didn’t recognize conversing about something just feet from her.

At first, she kept her attention on Kasius, trying to figure out if she’d done something wrong, or had missed a command from him while she’d been off in her own head, gazing out the window in front of her at the space beyond the Lighthouse.

But, then she happened to catch another glance of the man out of the corner of her eye, and though he seemed upset about something (something that could’ve been _her_ ), he managed to capture her full attention. He was rough and scruffy, wearing a worn and dusty jacket, with a broach pinned to it that she knew the exact meaning of.

There was just something about him, though, something that had Jemma’s cheeks growing warm and her heart picking up speed in her chest, her hands unconsciously curling into loose fists at her sides.

“ _Jemma_.”

Hastily blinking away her distraction with the man, Jemma immediately looked to Kasius, bowing her head to show that she was listening and ready to receive instruction.

“ _Is it not time for you to see to our champion?_ ”

Releasing a silent sigh, she nodded in understanding, dipping into a lower bow before brushing past him and the man with him to go tend to Daisy for the day’s lesson – though, she couldn’t quite help herself from taking one last glance back just before she left the room.

A jolt of…of _something_ passed through her entire body when she instantly locked eyes with the man himself, his eyes already on her, as though he’d been watching her as she crossed the room.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Jemma forced herself to break their gaze and hurried down the hall to Daisy’s room, not stopping until she’d opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She dropped back against it, taking a handful of deep breaths and closing her eyes.

“Whoa, what’s with you?”

Jemma’s eyes sprung open, and she found Daisy perched on her bed, arching an amused eyebrow at her. Flushing in embarrassment and pushing herself off of the door, she brushed it off, telling her, “Oh, nothing. I just came from the dining hall; Kasius’s guests have arrived.”

Daisy’s lips turned down in an immediate frown, and she shook her head. “I don’t get it; my exhibition isn’t for another few days, so what are they already doing here?”

“Knowing Kasius, he’ll have a handful of other exhibitions in the days leading up to yours; you’re not the only Inhuman he’s having trained, you know.”

Daisy was quiet a moment, and Jemma allowed her the time to get her thoughts in order. They’d only been working together for a couple of days, but already she’d taken a bit of a shine to her – which was _never_ a good thing.

Finally, Daisy confessed bluntly, “I’m getting the hell out of here.”

Eyes growing wide, Jemma froze where she’d been pouring herself a glass of water from the pitcher on Daisy’s bedside table. Slowly, she put the glass back down and shook her head, asking in alarm, “ _What_?”

But, Daisy simply nodded firmly, her eyes narrowing in determination. “I’m going to escape, Jemma. I don’t know how yet, but…but I just have to. It’s not the same for me as it is for the other kids; my parents are dead, so…so Kasius doesn’t have them to use against me. And, well, there’s no one to worry about if I do make it out.”

The reminder of what kept Jemma herself complacent, what kept her from making the same decision as Daisy had her briefly clenching her hands into fists, had her thinking of the soundless dreams that she often had, where she woke in tears because she could no longer remember the sound of her parents’ voices.

“If they catch you, they _will_ kill you,” she informed Daisy, her voice hoarse with sudden and unshed tears.

“So?” Daisy replied flippantly. “It’s not like I have anything to lose if they do.”

And, though Jemma knew that she should tell Kasius about this immediately for fear of being taken down with her, she only had to give it a moment of thought before she met Daisy’s searching gaze and told her, “I’ll tell you what I know, and I’ll do what I can to help, but Kasius can never know.”

After all, _she_ still had something to lose.

-

The first of Kasius’s Inhuman exhibitions had come and gone, along with more meals with the other bidders than Fitz would have ever wanted to attend – and it had only been a day. But, perhaps that was simply because time seemed to be moving at a crawl until the moment that he saw Jemma Simmons again.

She’d been at dinner the previous night, and had served him his first course, during which they’d caught gazes and he’d discovered that her eyes were brown and she exhaled the softest of breaths when she was taken aback by his fascination with her.

After that, though, he hadn’t caught a single glimpse of her, and Fitz was beginning to think that Kasius had noted his interest and was purposely keeping her hidden from him, which only served to frustrate him.

He couldn’t put his finger on what drew him so much to Jemma, and that was a small source of frustration as well – there was her obvious beauty, but it was _more than that_. There was something about her, something that seemed to call out to him…

And, it was driving him mad, not being able to see her, not having the chance to figure out what that something was.

Figuring that things weren’t going to get any better alone in his quarters, pacing the floor as he had been for some time now, though, Fitz left. Instead, he would seek out Enoch, who was always a sound counsel when he was in need of it.

However, he’d been striding down one of the darkened halls for only a handful of moments when he caught sight of movement at the other end, caught the flash of golden paint in a spare bit of light from a cracked door as they passed it.

His heartbeat almost immediately took off in his chest, and his next few breaths came with difficulty as he and the figure came closer and closer to crossing paths. And, as soon as he was close enough to see her parted lips, her wide brown eyes, Fitz didn’t think – he simply grasped her arm and tugged her into the empty room to his right, closing the door behind them.

Once he was sure that no one had seen them, he reached over and flipped on the lamp, throwing Jemma’s face into sharp relief, and he finally felt like he could truly _breathe_.

Her expression was somewhere between astonished, fearful, and inquisitive, and he noticed that she’d taken a step away from him, but was still standing quite close regardless.

He opened his mouth to speak, but remembered himself at that moment, remembered Kasius’s explanation as to why Jemma hadn’t heard him – all of his servants had an implant in their ears that only allowed them to hear _his_ voice unless he decided otherwise.

So, he instead over-prounced his intended words to make them clear, gesturing to his chest as he told her, “I’m Fitz.”

She blinked a couple of times, then gestured to herself and mouthed, “ _Jemma_.”

Eagerly, he nodded, relieved that she understood him and was going along with it. “Nice to meet you.”

Jemma bit her lip then, and Fitz was startled to realize that she was trying to hold back a smile, rather unsuccessfully at that. As the smile spread across her gold-painted lips, he felt a matching one tugging at his own mouth. “ _Yes._ ” Her smile faded then, much too quickly in his opinion, and she looked troubled. “ _You’re here to bid on Daisy?_ ”

Frowning, Fitz shook his head, asking in confusion, “Who’s Daisy?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking uncomfortable all of a sudden. “ _An Inhuman_.”

 _Oh_. Pressing his lips together, Fitz dragged a hand through his hair and blew out a breath, trying to figure out how to answer that. “Ah…well…I guess that’s why I came. I mean, I thought it’d be wise to have an Inhuman – everyone else does these days. Not really big on buying a person, though.”

Abruptly, Jemma’s eyes grew wide, and as she took a half-step closer to him, he noticed her hand twitching at her side, almost as though she wanted to reach across the remaining distance to him. “ _Really?_ ”

Fitz nodded, making a bit of a face as he then shrugged and rubbed uncomfortably at the back of his neck. “Yeah. I’m not…” He trailed off, though, hesitating. What he had been about to tell Jemma, who was still a perfect stranger, despite the pull he felt toward her, was something that no one else knew. “I just don’t think it’s right,” he finally finished, sidestepping the subject rather than going for the full truth.

Jemma briefly dropped her gaze to the floor between them, then raised her eyes and again and lifted a hand, reaching out to delicately press a fingertip to the broach on his jacket. Though she didn’t speak a word, the way that her eyes bored into his made her question perfectly clear.

“It was my father’s,” Fitz murmured, giving a little shake of his head. “His reputation, his crew, his life…it all became mine when he died – whether I wanted it or not.”

Her brow furrowed as she cocked her head, sympathy crossing her features, and Fitz felt a wave of absolute awe for her. There she was, a _slave_ being held against her will by Kasius, and she was sympathizing with a stranger that was far better off than her.

And that feeling was what he blamed his next action on.

Slowly, Fitz lifted a hand until he could cup her cheek, taking care not to smudge any of her paint. He heard her take that sharp inhale once more, but when she didn’t try to break away, he began to lean in closer. Moments after he’d glimpsed her eyes sliding shut, his allowed his own eyes to close, and his lips had just barely brushed hers when he heard the sudden sound of footsteps heading down the hall – and directly toward them.

Jerking away from Jemma, Fitz hastily grasped her shoulders and directed her to hide behind a nearby bookcase. Feeling her resistance and seeing the alarm and confusion in her wide eyes, he mouthed pointedly, “ _Hide._ ”

Finally understanding, Jemma crouched down so that she would be hidden by the bookcase to anyone in the doorway, just as the door to the room was thrown open to reveal one of Kasius’s guards. He seemed surprised to find Fitz there, and greeted him a bit dazedly, “Ah, there you are, Marauder.”

Gathering every bit of faux confidence that he’d perfected over the years, Fitz planted his hands on his hips and snapped, “You know, perhaps I ought to have a talk with Kasius about teaching his lot to _knock_ before entering a room – especially when one of his _guests_ is in said room.”

The guard bowed his head as he told him, “My apologies, Marauder. I was merely sent to find you for the dinner festivities and you weren’t in your assigned quarters.”

Fitz nodded stiffly, stepping out of the room and forcing the guard to move back to allow him to do so. “That’s a start,” he muttered pointedly, turning back to shut the door behind him and offering Jemma a small smile just before it had closed between them. “Now, off you go – or, should I take you to Kasius myself?”

“No, there’s no need, Marauder,” the guard replied with a shake of his head, already moving past Fitz and the room where Jemma was still hiding.

And, with one last glance back over his shoulder, Fitz reluctantly followed him.

-

After Jemma had waited an appropriate amount of time for Fitz to get the Kree guard away from the door, she slipped out of the room and managed to make it into line with the other servants in time to serve dinner to Kasius’s guests. Though, truthfully, her mind was on anything _but_ what she was doing as she was handed a tray filled with bowls of stew and sent out into the dining hall.

All she could think about was _Fitz_ – or, the “Marauder”, as the guard had called him. He was so sweet and gentle and kind, everything that she would have never expected him to be with the image that he projected to the others around them. But, it was all his father’s doing, apparently, and Jemma wondered suddenly about the story behind that, about their relationship and how Fitz had ended up marauding if he didn’t believe in it.

From the moment that she stepped into the hall, she couldn’t help the way that her eyes immediately sought him out, and she quickly found him conversing with a couple of the other bidders, smirking proudly as he told what was clearly a tale of glory.

She felt a little thrill when she recognized that he was just putting on an act for the others, that the _true_ Fitz had been the gentle man that had so lovingly cradled her face and almost kissed her just a handful of minutes ago. Everyone else around them had no idea; it had all been for her that he’d let his walls down, and the realization had her biting her lip against another smile (she didn’t know what it was about him, but he’d had her smiling more in the past ten minutes than she had in _months_ ).

Jemma was so caught up in Fitz just then, in fact, that it took her a full five minutes to notice that the remaining Inhumans were all lined up along the far wall of the hall, on display for the bidders.

Shocked, Jemma sought out Daisy’s eyes, and only felt a lick of relief when she noticed the slight upward twitch of her lips in a reassuring smile. Though she had no idea what was happening, she still went to line up with the other servants along the wall behind one of the rows of guests, resolving to ask Daisy about it when she saw her tomorrow.

She tried to focus on that, and on doing what she was supposed to be doing so as not to appear suspicious, to appear as though she hadn’t been doing something that she shouldn’t have been a short time ago – but, Jemma kept finding her gaze straying to Fitz’s.

And more often than not, he was already watching her, as though he was just waiting for the moment when their eyes would meet.

Unfortunately, though, halfway through the dinner, Kasius sent her to the kitchens with the dirtied dishes and the strict instruction for her not to return. So, despite the fact that Jemma wanted to see Fitz for just a bit longer, she did as she was told and went back to her quarters, finally allowing herself to think about just how truly _screwed_ she was for getting involved with one of Kasius’s esteemed guests.

Such a thing had never happened before (at least, not that she’d ever heard), but she knew that nothing good could come from it. If she was as smart as everyone had always praised her for being, she would cut all ties with Fitz now, before it got her into trouble.

But, she just couldn’t get over that _something_ about him, that something she’d felt from the moment she first saw him, that drew her in and made it all-but impossible for her to avoid him. She found herself suddenly willing to bend or even break the rules simply to spend just a bit more time with him before he left her life forever.

After all, it was the first time in so long now that she truly _felt_ something, and she couldn’t find it in her to just let that pass her by.

So, Jemma fell asleep that night with that resolution in mind (and she dreamt of Fitz, of his lips against hers and his arms around her, of him taking her away from this place to explore space together, marauding for good, not evil), and woke with it still as firm as it had been the night before.

She did try to push it back to the back of her mind when she went to work with Daisy that day, though, feeling that she owed Daisy her full attention, if they were going to get her powers fully under control before her exhibition in a just two day’s time now.

However, Daisy’s shocking first words upon her arrival were, “ _Holy shit_ , what’s going on with you and the Marauder?”

“ _What_?” Jemma asked in astonishment, feeling heat instantly suffuse her cheeks. How could Daisy possibly know anything about her and Fitz? And, more importantly, did anyone _else_ know?

“Are you kidding me? I saw how you guys were looking at each other at dinner last night!” Daisy widened her eyes excitedly, throwing her arms out and shaking her head, as though it was obvious.

Chewing her bottom lip worriedly, Jemma finally replied, “His name is Fitz, and…nothing is ‘going on’, Daisy. Now, what were you doing at dinner last night? Has Kasius moved up the exhibition?”

Daisy waved her question away, replying distractedly, “Oh, no, one of the bidders just asked to see what they were bidding on ahead of time, or something. But come on, you can’t just leave me hanging like this! There’s no way that I believe there’s nothing happening between you two.”

Giving a little roll of her eyes and sighing, Jemma told her truthfully, “Daisy, I barely know him, alright? We just met yesterday. Come on, we have to get started on your training; we’re running out of time.”

Daisy eyed her for a moment, then stood from the edge of the bed where she’d been perched, agreeing slowly, “Alright.” Then, after a moment, she added quietly, “Just…maybe he’s _your_ way out of here.”

Briefly, Jemma felt her lungs constrict, her chest tightening, and as she thought of her dreams from the night before, a flare of something like hope filled her – only to quickly be crushed by her reality.

Closing her eyes and inhaling a deep, steadying breath, she told Daisy quietly and truthfully, “No, I don’t think so.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here it is a day and a couple hours later than I intended, part two of my Marauder!Fitz and Servant!Jemma fic, prompted by @bellamybriller on tumblr. Amazing, I know, but this part turned out even longer than the first part - I can’t believe that this beast is finally done. But I have loved writing it and exploring this prompt and this 'verse, so I hope you guys enjoy it just as much!

Shooting a wary glance down either direction of the hall, Fitz then eyed the door directly across from him that he’d been standing outside of for the past fifteen minutes. It remained closed, though, which meant that Jemma remained inside of the room, so he continued to wait.

He’d just happened to catch sight of her moving through the halls with purpose on his way back to his quarters after breakfast, and had then followed her at a careful distance until she’d arrived at a room in a hallway that he hadn’t been down before. Though his intent had been to secret her away for another all-too brief meeting (and perhaps this time, they wouldn’t be interrupted), he’d hesitated to follow her inside the room, for fear that she wasn’t alone – the very last thing that he wanted was to get her in trouble with Kasius, after all.

And so, he waited, keeping a watchful eye out for guards, a prepared excuse already waiting on his lips should any pass by.

Finally, after some time, the door creaked open and Jemma stepped out into the hallway. She froze halfway out of the room, though, in clear shock to find him there, leaning back against the opposite wall, her eyes growing wide.

“ _Hi_ ,” Fitz mouthed, offering her a little grin.

She leaned further out of the room, glancing up and down the hall worriedly. Then, likely upon seeing that the coast was clear, she reached out to grasp his hand in hers and tugged him back into the room with her.

He followed her automatically, a bit thrown by the feeling of her smaller hand wrapped within his own, his fingers curling protectively around hers. But, then a voice broke into his daze, saying in obvious confusion, “Jemma? What’re you doing back – _whoa_!”

Glancing away from Jemma, Fitz found one of the Inhumans from the dining hall last night just jumping up from a bed that took up most of the small room they were in. Looking from her to Jemma a handful of times, he quickly put the pieces together; the girl had to be the Daisy that Jemma had asked him about, the one that she had asked if he was planning on purchasing.

Jemma mouthed something to Daisy then, but Fitz wasn’t at quite the right angle to read her lips, though he did see her gesture toward him.

“And you said there was nothing going on between you and the Marauder,” Daisy said to Jemma slyly, a smirk curling her lips.

Arching an eyebrow at that, Fitz turned to Jemma in time to catch her giving a rather fierce roll of her eyes. “ _Can we focus?_ ” she mouthed to Daisy, planting her hands on her hips.

“Sure,” Daisy agreed easily, before turning to Fitz and speaking directly to him for the first time. “So, what are you doing here? I’m sure it’s probably not allowed to check out the _product_ beforehand.” The amount of venom in her voice at the word ‘product’ caught him a bit off-guard, though it was only briefly; _of course_ she wouldn’t be thrilled about being sold.

“I…uh…” Fitz winced, shooting a quick glance at Jemma, then deciding that it probably wasn’t the best idea to advertise the fact that he’d been following her.

Jemma interrupted then, waving a hand to get their attention. “ _Wait, Fitz…would you be willing to do something to help us?_ ”

“Anything,” he answered immediately, nodding firmly. It wasn’t often enough, after all, that he got to _help_ people rather than hurt them. And, well, this was _Jemma_ asking, and though he didn’t know quite what it was that drew him to her, he knew that he’d do anything to figure it out, and simply to be around her.

“What are you thinking?” Daisy asked Jemma curiously, folding her arms over her chest.

Jemma gestured to Fitz, explaining, “ _You want to get out of here – Fitz may be able to help with that_.”

-

“ _Would you really be willing to do that for me?_ ” Daisy asked Fitz, her brow furrowing a bit skeptically. “ _I’m sure I won’t come cheap_.”

Jemma turned her head to find Fitz’s mouth, in order to read his lips for his response (and wishing that he’d arrived a few minutes sooner, before her hearing had been turned back off and they could actually _talk_ – she couldn’t help but wonder what his voice sounded like). “ _I have the resources_ ,” he assured her, shaking his head to show that it was no problem.

Though Jemma let out a short sigh of relief at her hastily thought out plan of having Fitz purchase Daisy in order to secure her freedom actually being accepted by both parties, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness, of envy. If all went to plan, Daisy would be getting out of the Lighthouse and out of Kasius’s clutches in two days’ time – _and_ , she would be leaving with Fitz.

But, she ignored the feelings that had her stomach twisting up in knots, instead focusing on the other two in the room with her.

“ _It’s a deal, then_ ,” Daisy told Fitz, stepping closer to shake his hand, and adding with a little smile, “ _Thanks_.”

“ _It’s nothing_ ,” Fitz insisted, waving off Daisy’s gratitude, even though what he was doing for a perfect stranger truly _was_ a lot. Then, suddenly, he turned to Jemma and asked seriously, “ _What about you?_ ”

Startled by the question, Jemma raised her eyebrows and pointed to herself, asking, “ _Me?_ ”

He nodded, sparing Daisy a brief glance before taking a step closer to her and reaching out to cup her shoulder. She could feel the heat of his skin through the thin material of her robes, and it had a shiver rolling down her spine. “ _Will Kasius sell you to me as well if I offer enough?_ ”

Sucking in a sharp breath, she fought back the immediate surge of hope, of excitement, of relief, giving a short shake of her head. “ _No, no don’t – don’t bother._ ”

Fitz frowned, throwing a short glance toward Daisy, and Jemma noticed her shrugging out of the corner of her eye. “ _Why not?_ ” he questioned, looking truly confused. “ _Don’t you want to be free of him, of this place? You deserve a better life than this, Jemma_.”

Briefly, Jemma chewed her bottom lip, biting down a bit harder on it to keep the tears burning at the backs of her eyes at bay. “ _I can’t, Fitz,_ ” she answered with another, sad little shake of her head. “ _Kasius only assures the safety of my parents as long as I’m in his employ_.”

For a moment, Fitz didn’t react to the news, his expression remaining impassive. Then, she noticed his eyes growing stormy as they narrowed, his jaw setting slightly. For a moment, she was afraid that he was going to insist, but then he gave a sharp nod and agreed, “ _Alright_.”

Taken aback slightly by the rush of sadness that swept through her, Jemma forced a smile. “ _Thank you. For…for helping Daisy_.”

He gave another, short nod at that, then glanced over at Daisy once more before trailing his hand up from her shoulder, over her neck until it could curve along her jaw, leaving goosebumps in his wake. Then, he leaned in and forgetting all about Daisy still being in the room with them, Jemma closed her eyes and tilted her head up, filled with as much desperation to receive his kiss as she had been last night.

However, she then felt the tip of his nose trailing over her cheek moments before his lips settled there, searing her skin with their heat and branding her with his kiss. He lingered for a long moment, then finally drew back, and it took all of her strength to force her eyes to flutter open so as watch him as he stepped away from her.

Fitz then turned to Daisy, likely saying his goodbyes, then met Jemma’s eyes once more. And, though he only murmured, “ _Jemma_ ,” in parting, the still-fresh memory of those lips against her skin and the intensity in his eyes had her breath catching painfully in her chest.

He was the first to break their gaze, moving back over to the door and slowly opening it, peering out into the hall to check that the coast was clear before shooting them one last, reassuring smile and stepping out, closing the door behind him.

For a lengthy moment, Jemma simply stared at where he’d been, simultaneously feeling as light as air, and as though there was a heavy weight in her stomach, dragging her further into the depths of despair than she had been in some time.

However, Daisy face abruptly replaced her view of the door, her expression a strange cross between amused and accusatory. “ _‘Nothing going on between us’ my ass!_ ”

-

It was during the latest Inhuman exhibition when Fitz felt a tapping on his shoulder, and glanced up to find Enoch nodding his head toward the door leading out of the viewing area for the arena. A bit surprised to see him back already from the errand he’d sent him on earlier that day, Fitz rose from his seat, assuring Kasius, “I will return shortly.”

With that, he followed Enoch out of the viewing area, carefully closing the door behind them and leading the way a bit further down the hall so that they were less likely to be overhead. Then, he said, “Give me good news, Enoch.”

“The ‘good’ depends on your viewpoint,” Enoch replied, his lips tugging down into a frown and his brow furrowing.

Fitz wasn’t at all reassured by that answer, planting his hands on his hips and briefly closing his eyes as he inhaled a breath, then blew it out. “What do you mean by that?” he pressed. All he wanted to know was if he’d be able to somehow sneak Jemma’s parents out of the Lighthouse just before the exhibition and before he intended to purchase her and her friend, Daisy.

There was no way that he was leaving this hunk of rock without her by his side, after all.

“Jemma Simmons’s parents could not be located within the Lighthouse,” Enoch explained simply.

His eyebrows rising at that, Fitz shot a quick glance around to make sure that they were still alone, then hissed under his breath, “What does that _mean_ , Enoch?”

“I inquired around about them,” Enoch began, “and I was eventually told that they were sent up to the surface many years ago now, to be ‘taken care of’ by the Vrellnexians.”

Sucking in a breath, Fitz dropped back against the wall behind him, absently reaching up to drag his hand through his hair. “So, they’re…they’re _dead_?”

“Presumably.”

“ _Shit_ ,” Fitz breathed, letting his head fall back against the wall as well. How was he supposed to tell Jemma that her parents were already dead, and that they had been for many years? How was he supposed to tell her that Kasius had tricked her into being his loyal _slave_ this whole time?

Abruptly, rage began to fill him on Jemma’s behalf; Kasius had had her parents killed, then lied to her for years about them still being alive just so that she wouldn’t attempt to escape. It was _sickening_ , and it only fuelled Fitz’s desire to get Jemma as far away from him as possible.

Taking the time to inhale a steadying breath and to get his emotions under control, he then pushed away from the wall and said, “Thanks, Enoch,” before turning and heading back into the viewing area, retaking his seat beside Kasius.

“We were beginning to think that you had disappeared, Marauder,” Kasius told him, turning to him and arching his eyebrows a bit suspiciously.

“I was just having a chat with one of my crewmembers,” Fitz explained, slouching slightly in his chair and affecting the casual air that he’d spent many years perfecting. “Actually, we were discussing the usefulness of a servant with obedience of the likes of yours.”

“They are quite impressive, are they not?” Kasius preened, a proud smirk crawling across his lips.

“Yes, they are,” Fitz replied, fighting back his disgust with the man sitting beside him. “In fact, I would be interested in purchasing one of them.”

Kasius cocked his head slightly, but didn’t seem all that surprised by the admission. “Oh?”

“In fact, that one, that…that _Jemma Simmons_ , she seems like just what I’m in need of.”

“I had noticed you admiring her,” Kasius confessed, carefully watching Fitz, as though waiting for him to suddenly reveal his hand.

“I’m sure that you have; you are quite observant,” Fitz responded simply, slipping in the compliment in hopes of swaying Kasius toward selling Jemma to him.

Kasius’s smirk grew at the praise, and he tilted his head this way and that as he considered. Then, finally, he answered, “I would be open to selling her, I suppose.” Fitz opened his mouth to make an offer, but then he went on, “But, I would only let her go with our final Inhuman, a Miss Daisy Johnson. Jemma Simmons is quite adept at motivating her and getting her to cooperate, it seems.”

Not at all deterred by the condition and confident that he could outbid everyone else there for Jemma and Daisy, Fitz said plainly, “Fantastic; then I’ll only need to make one withdrawal from my funds.”

Kasius gave an amused laugh at that, commenting, “You are quite confident, Marauder.”

“With good reason.”

-

With Kasius still keeping her away from his guests (or more likely, away from _Fitz_ , which had her terribly concerned), it wasn’t until the morning of the day prior to Daisy’s exhibition that Jemma finally saw Fitz again.

She’d expected to be told to leave the dining hall upon her arrival, just as she had for every meal before it, but this time, she was surprised to find herself allowed to follow the other servants into the kitchen to retrieve dishes to be handed out to the guests. It had to be a good sign that she was being put back on duty to serve the guests, didn’t it?

She could only hope.

Jemma tried her best to keep her expression blank as she entered the hall them, to hide her eagerness to see Fitz again, but despite her best efforts, she had to bite back a smile when she immediately laid eyes upon him.

Even though he’d been in conversation with the man beside him, he turned his head at the exact moment of her arrival, as though he’d sensed her approach. His eyes widened at the sight of her, their depths burning with the same intensity that they’d had after he’d kissed her cheek the day before. She allowed her hip to just slightly brush his arm as she placed his plate in front of him, wanting to touch him, to be close to him however she could.

Jemma was just stepping back when he caught her eye, lifting his eyebrows the tiniest bit and glancing pointedly toward the doorway that the servants entered and left through for each meal. Understanding, she gave the slightest of nods, then followed the others to their places along the wall.

She was antsy throughout the rest of the meal, wondering what it was that he had to discuss with her that was so important. Had something gone wrong, and he could no longer purchase Daisy? Had Kasius said something to him about his association with her?

After what seemed like ages, Kasius rose from the long table first, lifting his hands grandly, likely announcing the match-up that they would be witnessing later that day. Then, he turned and swept out of the room, a handful of his guards, Sinara, and the guests following him.

Jemma stayed behind with the other servants, cleaning up after the meal, returning the dishes to the kitchens to be washed and disposing of the leftover food. Then, finally, they were allowed to leave, and Jemma lingered until she was the last one to exit the dining hall.

She only had to wait just outside the door for a handful of minutes before Fitz appeared, sharp gaze keeping watch for anyone potentially bearing witness their conversation. Reaching out to catch the sleeve of his jacket and giving it a slight tug to gain his attention, she prompted, “ _Fitz? What’s wrong?_ ”

Fitz blew out a breath, his shoulders hunching slightly, as though a heavy weight was resting on them. For a moment, he looked at a loss for words, then he finally said, “ _I made Kasius an offer for you_.”

Jemma’s heart leapt almost painfully in her chest, and her hands curled into fists at her sides as she was filled with two opposing reactions to the news. “ _Fitz! I told you – I can’t… My parents –_ ”

“ _Jemma…_ ” He closed his eyes for a beat, shaking his head slowly, and a sense of dread swept over her. “ _I had one of my crewmembers look into them, to see if we could get them out of here too_ …”

“ _And?_ ” she prompted, her throat tightening as her hands began to shake slightly. At first, she felt a burst of affection for Fitz, for trying to rescue her parents for her, just so that he could save her. But, the affection was quickly replaced with fear, driven by Fitz’s less-than-inspiring reluctance to tell her everything.

Fitz sighed, then reached out to find her hands with his, carefully unfurling her fingers from the tight fists to lace them with his. “ _Jemma, they’re gone. I’m…I’m so sorry, but Kasius had them sent to the surface years ago_.”

Jemma was abruptly hit with the sensation of having the wind knocked from her lungs, and she felt as though the floor had been pulled straight out from under her. “ _No_.” It – it couldn’t be true, could it? Fitz had to have gotten the wrong information, he had to be mistaken; her parents couldn’t be…they couldn’t be _dead_. “ _No, I…_ _Kasius said…_ ”

“ _He lied to you, Jemma, he tricked you,_ ” Fitz told her, his jaw tightening slightly as he spoke the words.

For one desperate moment, Jemma questioned whether she should believe Fitz or Kasius; she just wanted so _desperately_ to believe that they were still alive. But, even through her desperation, she could still remember every dirty and underhanded thing that she’d witnessed Kasius doing, and Fitz had never given her any reason _not_ to trust him.

And, well, her gut told her that she could, and she trusted her instincts.

But that meant…

Pressing her lips together to hold back a sob, Jemma noticed Fitz’s lips moving, but she couldn’t read them through the tears blurring her vision. However, she didn’t quite care what he’d said at the moment; instead, she dropped his hands in favor of falling into his arms.

She felt them wrapping protectively around her, one of his hands moving to cup the back of her head. His lips pressed to the bare skin of her neck, and she could feel them moving, mouthing over and over, “ _I’m sorry. Jemma, I’m sorry. I’m sorry_.”

Though she knew this was hardly the time or the place, she broke down there with him to hold her together, mourning for her parents, who she’d always hoped she’d get the chance to see again someday. But, all this time, they’d already been gone, they’d already been taken from her.

By Kasius.

And, at that reminder, Jemma abruptly pulled back from the embrace just far enough to catch Fitz’s eye. Eyes narrowing around the tears still standing in them, she told him determinedly, “ _Get me out of here._ ”

-

The day of Daisy’s exhibition had finally arrived, and Fitz was on high-alert, not willing to let anything get in the way of him purchasing her and Jemma and subsequently ensuring both of their safety. He wouldn’t be able to relax until they were all on his ship and far enough from the Lighthouse to be out of trouble.

He was on his way to the dining hall for breakfast, eager to see Jemma for what would likely be the last time before the exhibition (and he could still remember the feeling of her within his arms, and he could still remember how difficult it had been to let her leave them, where he couldn’t protect her and keep her safe), when he noticed Enoch approaching from the other end of the hallway.

Fitz paused, then moved to meet Enoch halfway, noting the slightest indication of apprehension in his expression. “What is it?” he questioned immediately, his body tensing in preparation of anything.

Enoch glanced around to check that they were alone, then informed him, “Another bidder arrived early this morning, and the others are saying that it is as good as over already.”

“Who is it?” Fitz asked, narrowing his eyes but refusing to be deterred. No matter what everyone else said, he was sure that he could still outbid them, whoever they were.

“It is Kasius’s brother, on the behalf of their father, with whom he has been trying to gain favor with for years now.”

Except if that was the case.

Blowing out a breath, Fitz dragged a frustrated hand through his hair, thinking quickly to try and come up with a new but just as effective plan as quickly as possible. It took a moment, but then it hit him. “Okay. Okay, here’s what we’re going to do…”

Once he and Enoch had hammered out the details, the two went then their separate ways. Fitz arrived at the dining hall late, all of the other guests already seated at the table, and he noticed Jemma standing in front of the opposite wall. She caught his eye straight away, and he noted the relief that crossed her features at his entrance.

Darting a short glance around and confident that no one was paying him any mind, he mouthed to her, “ _Trust me_.”

Her brow furrowed in concern, but then she gave a short, barely perceptible nod.

Fitz was tense throughout the whole meal, and though he kept an eye on Jemma at all times, he also paid attention to Kasius’s brother, sizing him up. He was markedly different from his younger brother, much rougher and seemingly far more willing to get his hands dirty, which Fitz made a mental note of.

However, he diverted his attention from the brothers when Jemma came by to bring him his final course, subtly pushing his knife and fork off of the table and onto the floor. She startled at the movement, hastily bending down to retrieve them at the same time that he leaned over to do so as well.

She picked up the fork as his fingers closed around the knife, and he made sure to catch her gaze as he handed it to her, mouthing pointedly, “ _Keep it_.”

Jemma sucked in a quiet breath, but took the knife and slid it up her sleeve, rising to set his fork back on the table beside his plate. He could only hope that she understood their escape wasn’t going to be as easy as they’d thought, and that she’d pass the message along to Daisy.

They were going to have to fight their way out there, and they all needed to be prepared for it.

-

Though she was trying to ignore it, Jemma was incredibly aware of the metal of the knife hidden up her sleeve as she followed a couple of other servants into the viewing area where Kasius and his guests were already gathered. Her gaze moved automatically toward Fitz, and was reassured to find him already watching her.

However, she also noticed that the other Kree that had joined them for breakfast that morning was there as well, and Kasius seemed to be falling all over himself to impress him, to give him whatever he desired. Abruptly, she had the sinking feeling that that was why their plans had changed, and why Fitz now had her arming herself.

It was a bit of a wait before Daisy’s exhibition began, and Jemma didn’t miss Sinara speaking with Kasius and then leaving, though she could only guess at what dirty work he had her carrying out this time.

But, when Daisy stepped out into the arena on one side not long after, and it was _Sinara_ that entered on the other, Jemma darted a shocked glance at where Kasius was sitting. She’d _never_ thought that he would sacrifice his top guard in a battle to the death.

Did that mean that _Daisy_ wasn’t supposed to make it out?

Her sudden fear had her heartbeat quickening in her chest, but she forced herself ignored it; Fitz had a plan, and she had to trust that he knew what he was doing.

With the viewing area safely ensconced behind the protective barrier that Kasius only used for his most dangerous Inhumans, the fight began below. Daisy didn’t get off to the best of starts, Sinara rapidly gaining the upper hand, and Jemma could feel the metal of the knife growing slick as her palms began to sweat.

But, then Daisy tapped into the powers that Jemma had done her best to teach her to control, evening the fight out quickly. She also seemed to have _some_ background in fighting skills, though they were obviously unpolished, and they also helped her hold her own against the skilled Kree warrior.

After some grappling for control of the fight, Daisy managed to knock Sinara unconscious, and Jemma noticed Fitz nodding out of the corner of her eye. She wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but she took a deep breath and watched as Fitz stood up suddenly, slamming the button that lowered the barrier and shooting a couple of the guards and guests.

Taking his cue, Jemma produced the knife and stepped up behind Kasius, slashing through the skin of his cheek and thinking harshly, _this is for my parents_.

He fell to the floor, and Jemma saw Daisy begin to rise with help of her powers, raising a hand to aid Fitz in taking out some of the people up there. However, it was only moments later that she went crashing back down, and Jemma noticed the remote that controlled Daisy’s powers in the hands of the other Kree with Kasius.

The win was only temporary, though, as Fitz then helped Jemma to leap over the side of the balcony, following close behind with a well-aimed shot that closed the protective barrier once more, with them safely on the other side. He landed on the platform beside Jemma, and she helped to steady him.

Then, his arm wound around her waist and even though they were far from home free, he paused for a moment, gazing into her eyes with that same fire that had been there for days now. Jemma felt it all the way down to her toes, one trembling hand curling in the material of his jacket to hold herself steady, lest she get swept up in it. She so wanted to lean across the remaining distance between them to find his lips with hers, but understood that it just wasn’t the time for such an indulgence.

Especially since, unfortunately, all of their problems were still there; Fitz broke the embrace then to fire a shot at Sinara, who was just waking from the hit from Daisy. Then, they climbed down off the platform, helped Daisy to her feet, and hurried to lead her out of the arena.

Fitz took care of all of the guards they came across as the three of them rushed through the halls of the Lighthouse as quickly as they could, until they finally arrived at a docking station. A ship was sitting there, the ramp already lowered, and the bald man that had never been far from Fitz’s side was waiting there for them.

They helped Daisy up the ramp, and Fitz gave her hand a quick squeeze before leaving them to hurry up to the cockpit, no doubt to tell the pilot to get them the hell out of there. While they were getting settled, Jemma took a quick look at Daisy’s leg, determining that it thankfully, wasn’t broken.

Just as she felt the ship taking off and saw the stars beginning to fly by through the windows along the side, a piercing sound filled her head, so sharp that it felt as though it was splitting her skull open.

-

“You’re sure about this, Fitz?” Mack asked a bit skeptically, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

“I think it’s a little late for that, Mack,” Fitz replied dryly as he leaned over May’s seat in the cockpit of the ship, double-checking their course, “but your concerns are noted.”

“I just think –”

Mack’s next words were cut off suddenly by the sound of a high-pitched, pained shriek filling the air, and Fitz straightened abruptly. “ _Jemma_ ,” he gasped, spinning on his heel and racing out of the cockpit. He darted past Elena and Coulson, ignoring the questions that they both asked him and focusing on getting back to Jemma as soon as he possibly could.

And when he did, it was to find, much to his horror, that she was on the floor and writhing in pain, holding her head. Daisy, who was on her knees beside her and looking utterly helpless, looked up at him and explained in a rush, “She just started screaming! I don’t – I don’t know what happened!”

Fitz studied her in terrified silence for a brief moment, then turned to grab a tool from a nearby toolbox and dropped to his knees on her other side. “It’s her implant,” he told Daisy through gritted teeth. “This is Kasius’s doing.” With one hand, he caressed Jemma’s cheek, trying to get her to look up at him. “Jemma, Jemma, this is going to hurt, okay? I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

She nodded in understanding, curling one trembling hand around his, and he sucked in a breath before using the tool to enter her ear canal and searching for the implant. He did his level best not to pay attention to her pained shudders and instead focus on making the pain go away, finally grasping the implant with the tool and tugging it as gently as possible from her ear.

Jemma gasped sharply, sucking in deep, uneven breaths as the implant hit the floor of the ship with a _clink_. Brow furrowing in concern, he stroked his thumb over her cheek and asked softly, “Jemma? Are you alright?”

She inhaled another, short breath, her eyes shooting up to meet his. For a moment, she gazed up at him wordlessly, her lips parted slightly, and then she whispered, “I’m alright.”

It was the first time that Fitz had ever heard her voice, and he couldn’t quite help the way that his next breath got stuck in his throat. He wasn’t sure that he’d ever heard a more beautiful sound in his life. “ _Jemma_ …”

A smile broke across her face then, and she let out a soft, breathless little laugh that had Fitz thinking that, no, _that_ was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard. “That…that sounds even better than I thought it would.”

Letting out a quiet chuckle of his own, Fitz gently helped Jemma to sit up, then to her feet. He caught her when she wobbled slightly, her equilibrium inevitably a bit off from the removal of the implant. “Come on, let’s get that paint off of you.”

“Thank _god_ ,” she sighed, looping her arm around his waist and letting him lead her to the ship’s quarters.

It was some time later, after Fitz had gotten Daisy set up in her own quarters to get cleaned up as well, that he found himself standing on the deck and watching the endless expanse of space passing by the ship’s windows. He hadn’t wanted to leave Jemma’s side, of course, but Elena had offered to give her some of her clothes, and insisted on taking over helping her get settled, so he’d had no choice but to leave them to it.

Truly, though, he did appreciate that his crew was going along with his scheme to help two strangers escape slavery (Elena would no doubt soothe any of Mack’s worries in time); it made him especially grateful for the fact that he’d slowly begun to replace his father’s old crew with the new members that he’d happened to come across over the past year. The old marauders would’ve _never_ gone along with it if there was nothing in it for them, after all.

And fortunately, they also didn’t seem to mind ( _much_ ) that his reasoning behind the escape was a bit more _personal_ in nature.

“I can’t remember the last time that I wore _regular_ clothes.”

A fond little smile curving his lips at the voice that was quickly becoming more familiar to him than his own, Fitz turned from the view to the much lovelier one of Jemma approaching him. Her face was cleaned of the paint, her hair released from the braid it’d always been in every time he’d seen her on the Lighthouse, and her blue robes had been replaced with a pair of Elena’s pants, along with one of her shirts and a jacket.

“ _God_ …” Fitz breathed, stepping closer to meet her halfway. “You’re so beautiful.” Her cheeks flushed with color at the praise, and he lifted one hand to trail his fingertips across her bare forehead, then down the side of her face to gently run his thumb over her bottom lip.

She released a shaky breath, and he felt her hands sliding along his waist, gripping either side of his jacket in her fists. “I…I don’t know what I’d have done if you didn’t come into my life, Fitz. Thank you. You…you’ve saved my life.”

“No,” he argued lowly, shaking his head and shifting his hand to hold her cheek tenderly in the curve of his palm. “No, you’ve saved _me_.”

With that said, he finally leaned down across the remaining space between them, and she obviously understood his intent, her chin tilting up to meet him halfway as her eyes fell closed in anticipation. And, _finally_ , his lips found hers, and he felt her fingers fisting even more tightly in his jacket in response, as though she was afraid that he’d disappear. He caressed her lips with his, his free hand slipping beneath the back of her jacket to bunch the material of her shirt within it.

They stayed like that for a handful of long moments, content to simply hold each other, and sharing deep, lengthy kisses interspersed with soft, short pecks, making up for all of the missed opportunities over the past few days. After a time, though, Jemma broke away to rest her forehead against his cheek, her breath coming out in soft puffs of air that tickled the skin of his neck. “Let’s just say…we’ve saved each other,” she offered in a murmur.

Turning his head slightly to press a loving kiss to the top of her head, utterly content now that he had her safely in his arms, Fitz agreed softly, “It’s a deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find me on tumblr - I'm theartofbeinganerd over there as well!


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